


Merlin and her Frog Prince

by caffy91



Series: The Fairytale Series (Merlin) [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/M, Fluff, Genderswap, Kidfic, Magic, fairytale references, genderbender
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-03
Updated: 2012-09-03
Packaged: 2017-11-13 11:43:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/503165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caffy91/pseuds/caffy91
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Contrary to what legend tells, Merlin visited Camelot before she had ever heard its name or intended for it to be her new home. Genderbender always-a-girl-Merlin AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Merlin and her Frog Prince

**The Real Meeting (or how the young prince fell for the young sorceress) ******

* * * *

Contrary to what legend tells, Merlin visited Camelot before she had ever heard its name or intended for it to be her new home. 

She was only five years old when her mother was forced to seek the help of her old friend Gaius. Thought it was not to say she would not be happy to see him, for he was a man of quick wit and pleasant company, but she was left with no choice but to bring Merlin along with her, an action which she made with much weariness. But however much Hunith hated having to bring Merlin the Camelot, the other two choices for her daughter were infinitely worse. She could either leave Merlin alone in their small home, which was simply unacceptable for a girl of five (especially one with such a penchant for destruction and bad luck), or leave her with family from the village, which was also unacceptable. Because while the small town in which she and her daughter resided was not a town belonging to Camelot, it was close enough that Merlin would be burned alive for her powers in fear of what would be done to them should they be discovered for harbouring the little sorceress.

She feared for her young daughter’s life. Since Merlin was born she could move objects instinctively, or cause the fire that burned under the cooking pot to burn faster and hotter. Hunith tried to scold her daughter for using her magic so carelessly and without thought, but Merlin was still at an age where she did not realize that she was different from other children. That she was a very, very special child. 

Being in Camelot made Hunith very nervous for Merlin. The Great Purge was only in its sixth or seventh year and hatred and fear of magic was nestled in every corner of the town, especially in the castle in which she and Merlin were to stay. But a life hanged in the balance, and Gaius was the only physician in which she knew.

Her mother, Cassandra, was very ill. Her affliction had started as a slight fever which became utter delirium and now Cassandra was too weak to leave her bed, and spoke of nothing but nonsense. Hunith only visited her mother once every three months, but when she received a nonsensical letter, she was forced to take Merlin along with her on the four hour journey to see her Grandmother. 

After a week of tending to Cassandra and deliberation on the issue at hand, Hunith decided to travel to Camelot to plead for Gaius' aid and counsel. Before reaching the gates of Camelot, Hunith took Merlin into the woods, off of the weathered road, and sat her down on a fallen tree. 

“Merlin,” she said, “you must listen to me. What I have to say to you is very important. While we are in Camelot you are not to use your magic- Merlin! Leave the poor butterfly alone, you must listen to what I am saying!”

Merlin, who had always been indulged in her childish behaviour, immediately let go of the blue butterfly which had previously caught her attention. She commanded her magic to release the small creature, and watched it fly into the sun. Hunith gently grabbed her daughters face, positioning it towards her own. Merlin's eyes were as blue as she remembered the girl's fathers to be, but she had her mother’s nose. The thought brought a smile to her face before it was wiped away by the reminder that they were almost in Camelot.

“You must not use your magic when we are with the towns walls, do you understand Merlin?” Hunith spoke slowly and carefully making sure her daughter heard her every word clearly. She slowly let Merlin’s face free from her hands. Merlin nodded, while she did not understand why her mother asked this of her, she did not want to bring her mother any more pain to add onto her Grandmother's being unwell.

“If I don't use magic will Grandmother get better?” Merlin’s question caught Hunith off guard. Hunith would forever be ashamed of what she next said.

“Yes.” Hunith lied. And while the deception of her five year old daughter was shameful, her intention to keep her daughter safe at any cost was one of love and a most noble intent.

 

 

* * * *

 

 

Merlin could not believe the sights of Camelot. The only time she had ever left Ealdor was to visit her Grandmother who lived in a small town similar to her own.

The grandeur and novelty of seeing so many people in the same place was something the child rejoiced in. Every few minutes, without fail, Merlin would point out something of a most “enchanting” nature to her mother. Whether it was the blacksmith pouring molten-something into a mould, or a knight of Camelot patrolling (at which Hunith held Merlin's hand a little tighter), or a courtier with jewellery that gleamed harshly in the sunlight, or even children that looked to be Merlin’s age. Nothing escaped her notice or attention, and nothing was too insignificant to mention.

Hunith was both happy and weary of Merlin’s exuberant exclamations. She was weary of the fact that Merlin was drawing attention to herself (which she couldn't help but seem to do) in a place that would burn her for something she could not change. However, she was happy that despite Merlin's being different from children her age, she could still enjoy all the wonders and excitements of childhood that all other youths would have upon visiting a new place.

Upon reaching the castle walls, Merlin had stopped herself from using magic twelve times, most of which were to levitate her mother's bag which weighed her down. Normally, her magic happened without her even noticing, so she paid as much attention as she could to not doing anything. However, Merlin could not stop her magic three times, successfully at least. Luckily for her, her mother and no one else had noticed.  
The first failure was when they walked by a girl crying on the street corner, clutching a broken straw doll, the little girl had blinked and the doll was repaired. The second failed attempt to stop her magic was when her mother stopped to buy an apple for her to snack on. She saw a teenage boy of 14 or 15 trying to start a fire at the blacksmith across the street. Merlin blinked and half of the boys left eyebrow was singed off because of the fire unexpectedly blazing up. Merlin stopped her magic before it did any serious damage and felt ashamed when the boy stared at the fire bewildered. The third failure was when they waited in line at the water pump for a drink. The line was long because the two other pumps nearest were broken. Merlin though about her thirst only for a moment and the clouds greyed and a heavy rain began to fall for only two minutes. Just enough time to fill us her mothers borrowed bucket to fill their gourds. 

Hunith and Merlin stopped a few times in the castle before Hunith decided that asking for directions to the physician’s quarters would draw less attention to them than their walking around in circles and being seen by everyone twice.

 

 

* * * *

 

 

Hunith knocked on the door five times- all of which went unanswered. Knowing that Gaius tended to get so involved in his work that he became lost to the outside world, Hunith prepared herself for a long wait. She sat down against the wall and closed her eyes. She let out a sigh of frustration and when she opened her eyes again after a minute of harsh thoughts, she saw Merlin standing in the doorway with the door swaying slightly behind her. Hunith gave Merlin a betrayed look of shock and disappointment. 

“Merlin, I told you no magic!” Hunith whispered angrily at her daughter, should anyone have been near enough to witness the magic there was no point in her confirming it by yelling. Merlin cocked her head to the side and gave her mother a look unfamiliar to her.

“But mother, I didn't use magic. The door was unlocked.” Merlin frowned when she confessed the former and smiled when she admitted the latter. Hunith shot her daughter an incredulous look, unable to believe her daughter's precociousness. Merlin looked at her feet, appearing to contemplate something heavily, and when she lifted her head she asked her mother in a serious tone that reminded Hunith of herself:

“Mother, why do adults always expect things to be hard?” For that Hunith had no answer.

 

 

* * * *

 

 

They waited in Gaius' laboratory for the better part of two hours before he arrived. Merlin was amusing herself by blowing into empty bottles and listening to the different sounds they made depending on their sizes and Hunith was sitting on the stairs leading up the book shelves rehearsing what she was going to say to Gaius once she saw him.

When Gaius entered the room, the first this he noticed was a small, scrawny child with short black hair and too big pants that had to be constantly pulled up. They were hand-me-downs from a distant cousin of Merlin’s who she barely saw but remembered to hate because of past annoyances. He payed special attention to bottles the small child was blowing into: his medicine bottles.

“Little one, I hope you realize that I now need to re-wash all those bottles so I can use them for the practice of healing people. Stop before you bring more work upon my already busy tomorrow.” Gaius smiled in an indulgent way and Merlin grinned wide and shamelessly. Gaius then noticed Hunith who had stood at his voice.

“Hunith! My goodness, It's been- well, I can't remember how long it's been since I've last seen you! It must have been years ago, because the last time I can recall speaking with you, that one over there,” Gaius nodded towards Merlin's direction, “was still suckling. Although I am sorry I did not respond to your latest letter, the young prince was sick you see, with a fever and I was tending to him to ease his father’s nerves. My how good it is to see you! Please sit.” Gaius pulled out an extra chair hidden behind a cabinet full of dried plants and herbs.

“Here, sit. I am sorry that the chair was not here before, I have my stool and I am rarely visited here, there is never a need for it and it always seems to find its way into my knee.” Gaius spoke whimsically and as though he was speaking to himself, even though he glanced at Hunith every so often. Once Hunith was settled in the chair and Gaius had brought out another for himself he spoke once again.

“Now then tell me, what brings you to Camelot?” Hunith began wringing her hands at Gaius' question. She was unsure of how to broach the subject. She did not want Gaius to think she only visited because she needed aid for her mother, but she also did not want to show less importance of her mother’s ailment in her being here. 

“It is my mother, Gaius. She is ill, and I do not know anyone else who would be able to help her. There is no one in either my village or hers that knows anything of medicine, and I was hoping that you would be able to help me, or if you were unable to give me aid, then to advise me as to how to ease her illness.” Hunith spoke in a manner that showed both her desperation in her situation and respect for Gaius' choice in whether or not to aid her. 

“Cassandra is ill? Oh dear Hunith I am very sorry to hear that. Your mother and I have been friends since my childhood. She would take care of me when my own parents were busy. Of course I will do all in my power to help.” Gaius smiled kindly at her and a wide smile broke upon Hunith's face.

“Thank you Gaius! I do not know how I can ever repay you for this!” Hunith stood up and walked around the table with big steps and hugged a shocked Gaius, who had honestly expected no gratitude at all. But when one supposes that it was his job to help the ill and that the people he worked for tended to feel entitled to everything, it is not at all so surprising that Gaius was unsure of whether or not to hug her back. But then again being holed up in a dusty room with nothing but books and science to occupy oneself can leave one socially inept.

Merlin, who had grown bored of the adults’ conversation, and with no bottles (or magic) to occupy her time and attention, had begun to explore the room as quietly as she could. She stumbled upon a door, and with no adult to watch her, she opened it slowly, as to not make a sound, and slipped in. 

Once inside the room, Merlin felt a little bit bigger. Gaius' laboratory had a high ceiling and made her five year old body feel tiny, but this rooms ceiling was lower and the room itself was filled with crates and books, making her feel less tiny in the cluttered room. She sat on the bed, which was hidden beneath some old furs, and looked around the room. She saw a window and felt the immediate urge to see out of it, but the shutters were closed to keep out the cold. She grabbed one of the empty crates and set it on the floor beneath her feet. With a small bit of effort she was able to unlatch the slightly rusted metal lock and the opened the shutters.

Sometime between Merlin arriving in Camelot and Gaius agreeing to help Cassandra it had become night. Merlin, who was never one to tire because of such a simple things as time, was absorbing the night scenery with baited breath. The town below the window was beautiful. Merlin was so entranced by the view that she did not hear Gaius and her mother walk into the room behind her.

“You both can stay in this room- Ah, it seems we found Merlin. I'll leave you both be for the night and we will talk about your mother in the morning. Good night Hunith, good night young Merlin.” And with those words Gaius turned and walked away with something in his step that was akin to what one might call happiness. But then again it wasn't everyday that Gaius had visitors in his small, dark, dusty corner of the castle.

 

 

* * * *

 

 

Merlin woke up in her mother's arms, which was not unusual in itself, but the room in which she awoke startled her. Merlins first thought of the day was that not only was her magic instintictive but could also teleport her places. This was not true, but it is rare for a five year old to have a firm grasp on reality first thing in the morning.

Sifting out of her mother’s arms, Merlin tip-toed across the room to her clothes and put on her pants and shoes and made her way out of the room slowly and quietly as to not wake her mother.

When she opened the door she saw Gaius sitting at a table eating a sandwich overflowing with lettuce and tomatoes with small bits of meat stuck in between. She made her way to the older man and shyly tugged on his robe. He glanced down; surprised he hadn't noticed her approaching.

“Good morning Merlin, how did you sleep? Sit down, have some breakfast.” Gaius, seeing she was too small to lift herself onto the chair, got up and lifted her into it.

“Thank you. The bed was nice, but me and mother usually sleep on the floor...” Merlin answered his earlier question and trailed off unsure of what to say next.

“Well, I am glad to hear you liked it. Now how about I make you something to eat? Hmmm.... A growing girl like you needs milk,” Gaius poured her a glass, “now I know you probably only rarely get meat so have some of that- it's probably for the best that you don't anyways, too much meat can't be healthy, no matter what those sellers at the market say. Vegetables are good for you and much easier to grow than meat as well...” Gaius rambled on more about the more nutritious vegetables and roots as if Merlin was much older and cared for such conversation as he piled more food onto the plate in front of Merlin. She was not and she did not and eventually stopped listening. Once he finished speaking she said:

“Thank you...um, what should I call you?” Merlin asked as she chewed on a piece of bread.

“Well, Gaius should do very well, I think. It has been my name now for many decades.” Gaius winked and gestured towards the bedroom door with his head.

“How long do you think your mother will sleep?” Merlin shrugged at the question.

“She hasn't slept much since we found out Grandmother was sick,” Merlin answered after a moments pause with some food still in her mouth.

“Well then, it is best we let her sleep for now,” Gaius paused for a moment before he continued to say, “tell me Merlin, how would you like to help me make some errands today? You can be my physicians assistant for the day.” Gaius offered because it was best that Hunith sleep, and having a child run around outside the door (possibly breaking his equipment) was not wise for such an instance.

“I would like that very much Gaius!” Merlin exclaimed, and Gaius smiled warmly.

“Finish your food and then we can write a note to your mother telling her where we are.” Gaius winked a wink and Merlin smiled a smile.

Once breakfast was finished and Gaius had packed his bag full of medical supplies and medicines he was to deliver, they went. Leaving a note for Hunith that was dictated by Merlin and written by Gaius

“Dear Mother,” it read, “we have gone to help the sick. Gaius left food on the table for you. Camelot is really fun!”

 

 

* * * *

 

 

Merlin trailed after Gaius as he way his drop offs. She gazed at the castle in wonder, all the while thinking about the fairy tales her mother would tell her to get her to sleep. After dropping medicine off to a woman who had trouble sleeping, she could no longer contain her question.

“Is there a princess in the castle? Mother used to tell me stories about princess', are there any here?” Merlin's expectant face beamed up and Gaius. He indulgently pretended to give the question serious thought.

“Hmmm... well there is no princess here, but there is a prince. He is not much older than you, in fact, we are on our way to him now. He was ill a few days ago and we are to see if he is fit to go outside.” Gaius shuffled through his bag and pulled out a small peach. He gave it to Merlin.

Gaius and Merlin walked through ten hallways before Merlin was convinced that they were not in a castle, but rather a maze and that a magical creature of an evil, misguided origin was about to jump out at them from a corner. Gaius assured her that this was not the case when she voiced her suspicions. This did not cause Merlin to be any less vigilant when approaching a turn.

They reached the princes' chamber in enough time that Merlin had built the prince up so much in her head that nothing short of Prince Charming could have been approved of. 

The few moments it took for Gaius to knock on and open the door felt longer to Merlin than the journey there. At her young age she had no way of knowing that it was in fact her magic that was drawing time out without her being aware of it. Gaius entered the room, announcing himself. No one answered the knock and he assumed the prince to be sleeping.

“Sire, are you awake? Have come to check if you are well enough to venture outdoors for a little bit today.” There was no answer to Gaius' question or comment. Merlin pushed past the graying man (which was easy enough since she was such a small creature) and gazed into the room. The bed- empty. The chair beside the fire place- empty. Merlin was suddenly very understanding of the princes “illness.”

“Gaius, is the prince one of those princes' that are frogs until someone kisses them?” Merlin's fantastical imaginings would have caused Gaius to laugh if his worry for the missing heir to the throne wasn’t weighing on his mind.

“No, Merlin. Arthur is not a reptilian prince.” 

Merlin was not convinced.

They left the room after double checking it's contents and continued with the rest of Gaius' drop offs. Gaius apologized to Merlin about Arthur's not being there. Merlin only half heard when he said as she was on the lookout for frogs. 

 

 

* * * *

 

 

Arthur was not hiding. His father made it perfectly clear that Pendragon's do not hide. Hiding was cowardly and Arthur was in no way a coward. He was not hiding. He was just comfortable where he was, and if no one found him (or could fit into his... sitting spot) then so be it. He was fine alone. He felt it best that he was alone in fact. He was tired of all the servants and the physician fussing over him.

“I am not an invalid!” He had yelled (quite proud to know the word at such a young age). The moment the sun awoke him and he saw no servants to hinder his escape, he quickly dressed, although unsure of how to lace his pants and he kept having to pull them back up. But it was not his fault he was unable to lace his pants- someone had always done it for him- they had to, since he always managed to get the laces tangled and knotted beyond repair.

So, now, holding his pants up with one hand and wiping the sweat of his forehead with the other he cursed(yes, he was also proud to know a curse word that he once heard one of his father's knights utter) the small space he was in. It was unbearably hot and humid.

It had rained a day before for only a few minutes and for some odd reason the moisture was clinging to the air more than usual. He silently debated with himself whether or not the solitude was worth the stifling heat. But once realizing that he would be found cooked alive weeks from now, he decided to find a new location to sit (not hide) that was cooler and would not cause him to drown in sweat.

It was because of the humidity that he left his...sitting spot and ventured for a new location to... sit. At his young age Arthur knew every nook and cranny of the castle and the hidden passages in and out. After years of playing Knights and Warlocks in the castle he also knew the schedules of the staff and when aand where they were at any given time. At noon, which he estimated it now was, the staff would be preparing for lunch and the left wing would be almost empty.

This meant the small pond just outside the castle walls would be free of any annoying people. Normally his father would not let him leave the castles’ perimeters, but it was a place that Arthur was never found. 

So, Arthur began to make his way to the small pond as silently as he could. It took him five minutes of ducking behind curtains and tapestries to reach the pond. It was when it was in sight that he heard some giggles coming from behind him. He looked around him and saw no hanging cloth to hide behind. He decided to make a run for the pond and hope that no one saw him. 

Arthur ran. He ran as fast as his young legs could carry him, and he was successful. He made it to the pond without being seen. However, it was when he was only a few meters from the pond that he began tripping over his fallen pants. He had neglected to hold them up as he was running and they had slowly progressed to a spot around his thighs. He tripped and stumbled for a few more meters and finally regained his balance… only to trip over a root in the ground (the root of an old crab apple tree that had been cut down as firewood to burn a sorcerer). Arthur fell.

He fell onto the lips of a girl who he had not seen because of the distraction of his fallen pants and giggling maids. And thus Merlin was woken up by a kiss. 

Now, Merlin had only laid there because she was tired of hearing her mother and Gaius speaking of past events and people that they had used to know. She had taken a spot by the pond because it was out of everyone’s way and no one would stumble upon her rearranging the clouds into different animals. It was while she was making a cloud into a frog (as her mind was still full of mythical frog princes) that she fell asleep.

It is easy to understand how being woken up in such a manner would cause Merlin’s magic to send of a burst of wind that would blow the perpetrator off of her. 

A gust of wind so strong it would push the small boy off her…and into the pond. 

Arthur, shocked and confused by the speed of what just happened, found himself in a shallow body of water. He was dragged from his confusion by a soft wow. 

“I was right! There really IS a frog prince!” Merlin exclaimed. 

Arthur sputtered and coughed some water that had found its way into his throat. 

“What are you on about? Are you stupid? Help me up!” Arthur commanded. This dragged Merlin from her wonder and she bent down to help him up. She grabbed his hand, which was both wet and covered in mud, and while pulling upwards Arthur’s hand slipped. He fell back into the pond. His face grew red with embarrassment. He glared up at Merlin.

“You did that on purpose,” he accused the still-dry Merlin. 

She gasped at Arthur in disbelief. “It’s not my fault that your hands are still so slimy! I thought frogs were GOOD in water.” Merlin crossed her arms in a way the she had seen her mother do when she was cross with her. Arthur looked at her in disbelief.

“Frogs? What are you talking about?” He paused and once again spoke, but this time it was slowly and he pronounced every word as if talking to the village idiot. 

“I.am.not.a.frog.I.am.a.prince.” Merlin bent down again and reached for his hand. 

“It’s okay, I won’t tell anyone you were a frog. My mother says I shouldn’t tell people when weird things happen.” Arthur let her pull him up. This time it worked. He brushed off his wet clothes as if he were rubbing off dust. 

“Stop being stupid. There was no magic. Magic isn’t allowed here. I’m not a frog.” Arthur composed himself and made sure his pants were on completely. He looked up and saw he was taller than the girl before him. He smiled at this knowledge.  
“I am prince Arthur. Son of King Uther of Camelot and heir to the Pendragon name.” Arthur looked at the girl before him expectantly. When she said nothing he continued.

“Who are you?” An exclamation from Merlin was brought from the question.

“Oh! I’m Merlin.” Arthur was distracted by a small cut on Merlin’s lips. The cut brought back the memory of how he had fallen in the pond. The recollection of this caused the young boy to blush the Pendragon red that he was oh-so proud of. His gaze shot to the ground. 

He cleared his throat. “I am sorry I hurt you. I did not mean to...fall on you like that.” Merlin was confused, but soon recalled the fall. Which made her remember how her kiss had saved the frog prince. 

“Oh, you mean the kiss? That’s okay. You’re not a frog anymore so I forgive you.” Arthur disregarded the frog comment, but instead continued with his apology (a bit begrudgingly). “I mean your honour. My tutor said that girls can’t kiss unless they are married because it would destroy her reputation.” 

Merlin cocked her head to the side. “What’s a ‘repulation’?” 

Arthur shook his head. “I don’t know. I just know that it’s important for girls.” Merlin smiled at Arthur. 

“Oh, that’s okay, I guess I don’t have one, cuz I already kissed someone.” With that Merlin turned and began to walk away. Arthur felt a small pain in his chest. At his young age he did not know that it was jealousy.

Merlin’s first kiss was not Arthur.

However, he did not know that the kiss Merlin was referring to was with her Mother.

 

 

* * * *

 

 

Arthur stood in the spot for another half hour before Gaius found him. He gently scolded Arthur, saying that getting wet and staying outdoors in his fragile, recovering condition would be dangerous to his health. Arthur did not hear a word of this. Gaius finally gave up speaking and escorted Arthur back to his room.

The physician cleared Arthur’s health, but said he must stay in room’s where there is a burning fire and that any tutelage he had that day must be only theory and not practice. His tutor also attempted to get Arthur’s attention. He even allowed Arthur to hold his adult-sized sword. 

He had baited him saying “Prince, you will never be able to be a Knight if you cannot focus.” But it had fallen on deaf ears. After an hour of trying, and failing, to get Arthur’s attention, he gave up.

Arthur was snapped out of his silent fuming when a maid came to get him for dinner with his father. He was escorted to his father’s room and dinner commenced.

Uther was by no means an excellent father. He was constantly busy with political affairs, and thus negligent, at times, to his son. This caused Arthur to latch onto any attention he could get and when Uther saw that his son was sullen and quiet (and barely eating for that matter) he knew something was wrong.

 

“How was your day son?” He asked. Arthur shrugged his shoulders. “Fine.”

 

Uther tried again. “And your studies, I presume they are going well?” a confirmation of his assumption was his only response. Uther would try once more, nicely that is, before he berated his son.

 

“Gaius said you fell into a pond today.” Arthur simply blushed at these words, recalling how he had fallen into the pond. Well, the first time at least. Uther noticed this and became even more curious.

 

“Arthur, what in Camelot is the matter with you? You’ve barely spoken a word and have yet to complain about your tomatoes.” Arthur hesitated for a moment before saying that he had gotten kissed earlier in the day. Uther choked on his wine. Surely it was too soon for this conversation. Arthur was only nine! He sputtered and coughed the wine until he could breathe normally and finally said “I see…” Uther trailed off not sure exactly what to say. He continued “and who kissed you?” Arthurs face grew red once more.

 

“This girl I met by the pond. She’s why I fell in.” Uther was once again unsure of how to continue (which was an odd occurrence for so arrogant a man. One uncertain moment in a day was rare, but two was unheard of!) 

 

“And why did she kiss you?” Uther asked hesitatingly after a moment.

 

“Well, I kind of fell on her.” Arthur’s ducked hid head to avoid looking into his father’s eyes. He however missed the look of relief that passed his fathers face. He still had no just cause to have to speak to Arthur about chivalrous responsibility or how babies weren’t born of starry wishes or even about feelings of the romantic nature. 

 

He chuckled. “Arthur, that was not a kiss. A kiss happens intentionally.” Arthur finally looked up. “What does,” he paused on the next word as most children do “intentionally mean?”

 

“I means that it is done on purpose.” Uther smiled indulgently at his son. Arthur stared long and hard at his plate for a few moments. He took the fork in his hand and began smashing and poking his tomatoes until they were nothing but a mushy red paste. (ah, you must be thinking that perhaps it is as though the tomato were his heart? Or perhaps the reader is assuming too much of a nine year old boy… although perhaps it is not wise to make light of true love and destiny.)

 

Arthur jumped from his seat and ran towards the door. Uther called out after him “Where are you going?” 

 

Arthur yelled in response “I want it to be intentional!”

 

 

* * * *

 

 

Arthur searched for Merlin for an hour, before she found him. He was near Gaius’ chambers when she rounded the corner from the kitchen. She was returning the bowls they had used for dinner and it was on her way back that she saw the young prince prowling the castle halls with a scowl on his face and a furrow in his brow.

 

“Hi Arfrog!” Arthur’s scowl deepened at hearing this. “I told you, I’m Arthur. I’m not a frog.”

 

Merlin rolled her eyes. “Of course you’re not a frog…anymore! I fixed you.” Arthur shifted from foot to foot before he darted forward.

 

And kissed her quickly on the lips.

 

Merlin was, not surprising to say, shocked.

 

“What did you do THAT for?!” she demanded. He said nothing , only turned and began to walk away.

 

“You can’t just kiss people!” She yelled after him. He stopped, turned and said “I can do whatever I want. I’m a prince.” She scoffed at this and muttered. “A frog prince.” Arthur stopped in his spot and said arrogantly “That kiss was better than whoever you kissed before.”

 

“That’s not true!” Merlin challenged. “My first kiss was my mommy, and she’s the best at everything!” Arthur’s chest lost its unknown (and until this moment unacknowledged) weight. He smiled, not really knowing why.

 

“It doesn’t count if it’s your mother, Mer-lin. Are you always this dumb? Well, even if you’re stupid, at least your first kiss was to a prince.” With that, Arthur walked ( he did not skip!) towards his room, pausing only to say that she should be at the pond tomorrow morning before breakfast and left Merlin confused and bewildered where she stood.

 

That night, Arthur would ask his governess what to give to a girl you kissed. The governess would say flowers.

 

In another part of the castle Merlin would tell her mother what a weird place Camelot was, where frogs turned into boys and kissed girls.

 

 

* * * *

 

 

The next morning Arthur awoke excited, for what exactly though, he could not know. He began walking towards the pond (while ducking behind corners and columns in case Gaius or his governess saw him). Along the way he saw some newly bloomed daises from yesterday’s impromptu shower and he grabbed a few.

 

Arthur did not know it yet, but he was smitten. Smitten as though Merlin was a kitten. He waited by the pond for a few minutes before he grew impatient. He began searching the castle for her when he ran, literally, into Gaius.

 

“What ever is the rush?” Gaius asked while steadying the boy.

 

“I’m looking for a girl named Merlin.” Gaius, although curious of why Arthur was looking for the young girl, only said “I’m terribly sorry your highness, but she left this morning to go back to her village.”

 

Arthur was crestfallen, then angry (for reasons the reader may understand even though the nine year old prince did not).

 

“Oh,” he said, “It doesn’t matter. I was just going to tell her she’s a stupid girl.” With those final words he let the flowers fall to the floor and stepped on them (more than necessary) on his way back to his room.

 

Gaius stared in wonder at the boy stomping away.

 

Children are so odd. He thought. First Merlin demands a frog to take home with her and now Arthur is throwing flowers. Such a strange generation.

 

 

* * * *

 

 

In another part of the Camelot a young girl with raven hair was just waking up from a dream where a blond prince married and blue eyed, raven hair girl that was not her.

 

Morgana forgot the dream almost immediately and promptly fell back asleep. 

 

 

* * * *

 

 

So I will leave it to the reader to decide whether this retelling of legend that relays the truth is one of childish affection or rather of destiny.


End file.
